Solera's Calling
by Rainbow-Winged Phoenix
Summary: The Penn Racing Crew is dealt a devastating blow and Artha must overcome his grief and guilt to put a stop to Word Paynn's scheming plans. A new racing crew has shown up out of nowhere. Who are they? Will this crew be friend or foe to the Dragon Booster?


This is my first shot at a proper Dragon Booster fic so I can only hope I portray all the existing characters right.

It takes place shortly after Mortis is revealed to be Connor Penn but before all the academy stuff.

Some brief keys before y'all dive on in;

"Human speech" 'Human thoughts' _"Comm Link speech" _**"Notes" **

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Dragon Booster. Only the OCs and their Dragons.

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1

"C'mon Beau! We're almost there boy!"

A dragon with blue and red scales growled determinedly, his strides quickening. The young rider in the saddle activated red thruster gear attached to his steed, giving him a sudden surge of speed. Other dragons passed by in a hazy blur until only one remained ahead. Beau grumbled at the sight of an all too familiar black dragon galloping almost leisurely along the track. Soon Beau was neck and neck with it, their eyes locking in silent battle. The black dragon's rider tilted the handles on their saddle, causing both dragons to collide. Beau shoved back at his rider's command.

While they were busy ramming each other, a red blur zipped passed and stole the win. Beau disengaged from the unwanted tussle and used whatever strength his legs had left to finish in second place. The black dragon dropped down the ranks, their draconium energy spent. Beau's rider was so mad at themselves that the name of the winning rider fell on deaf ears. Dragons mulled around the paddock, tired after the long race. Beau un-magged his gear all while the youth riding him ranted and raved.

"Scales! Where'd that rider come from all of a sudden?! I had Moordryd right where I wanted him!"

Beau snorted loudly and shook his head, sending his rider sprawling onto the ground.

"Sweet moves out there, stable boy. Too bad that young rider came in and lapped up the victory you sloppily left for anyone to take."

Looking toward the tent, Beau's hot-headed rider glared at the blue haired girl he grudgingly called a teammate.

"I still wiped the track with you and Wyldfyrfyr, Kitt. If I recall you finished almost dead last."

The girl addressed as Kitt puffed out her chest, the Magma Class dragon at her side growling in warning.

"At least I didn't let some rookie just cruise on by, Artha." Kitt snapped. "If it's of any consolation, you did beat Moordryd by a large margin."

Artha would've come up with a witty reply but a cold shadow fell over him. Tilting his head back, he came face to snout with the Magma Class that had overtaken him.

Artha scurried to Beau's side, pretending the large bipedal creature hadn't scared the scales off of him. Beau dipped his head in greeting as did Kitt's dragon. Kitt and Artha both marvelled at the uniqueness of the arriving dragon.

It was shorter than Kitt's by a few inches and slender to boot. Bright red scales were decorated with pale yellow lines, and an underside of baby blue. Orange/lilac eyes regarded Artha and Kitt curiously, the head they sat in bearing resemblance to the leader of the Dragon Flares' mount and a Nautilus Class dragon. Lastly Artha noticed the tail tip looked almost knife-like with two white spikes on top. Artha opened his mouth to greet the unnamed rider in the saddle but they got called away, possibly by a teammate.

"Well that was weird."

Artha reached for the heavens shrieking in fright, turning to scowl at a young ginger haired boy who stood munching on a candy bar.

"Lance! You can't keep sneaking up on people like that! It's not cool bro."

Said boy grinned cheekily, petting Beau's head lovingly. An older boy stomped up behind Lance, eyebrows furrowed into a very annoyed frown.

"Artha what in Magna Draconis were you playing at out there? That tussle with Moordryd cost you the race!"

"It's not like I wanted to be roped into a ramming battle, Parm. Moordryd slammed into me first."

"Oh and I suppose bashing him back was the mature thing to do was it?"

Artha bit his cheek to avoid saying something he'd regret later, walking away from his friends to be alone. Parm shook his purple haired head, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Connor will not be pleased with this."

"Calm down Professor." Kitt chimed while setting a hand on Parm's shoulder. "I'm sure Connor will take it easy on Artha this time since Moordryd started it." Kitt's small smile turned into a frown as she looked in the direction the race winner went in. "But who are they? I've never seen them before."

The dark night time streets of Dragon City bore witness to the Dragon Eye crew causing trouble again, a black and gold dragon hot on their tail. As usual, the Down City racing crew was after dragon eggs, a wagon loaded with dozens of them. Up atop a tall building sat the Penn Racing Crew watching the chase unfold, Parm keeping his eyes glued to a fleeing Moordryd. The black and gold dragon's rider, a youth clad in gold and blue armour, readied their Blocking Staff in anticipation of a fight. A voice coming through on their comm device did little to distract them.

"_They're up ahead to your right, Artha. But be careful! It looks like Moordryd has prepared a trap for you this time."_

"Got it Parm! Okay Beau, let's take it nice and steady boy. We can't let Moordryd catch us off guard again."

Beau growled in agreement, slowing his gallop down to a cautious walk. Just as they rounded the corner something ran into Beau's walking line, bumping into him with enough force than his front legs were pulled out from under him. Artha saw nothing as he scoured the immediate area. Pushing the incident to one side, Artha urged Beau forward.

As Parm foretold, the Dragon Eye crew was waiting a little too patiently around the corner and Artha knew something was off. Moordryd and his dragon were missing. Kitt left her perch beside Parm, praying she wasn't too late.

Artha meanwhile was busy staring down the egg thieves, waiting for one of them to make a move. Beau's gold eyes exuded confidence despite Moordryd's absence. Artha was so busy watching the dragons in front of him he didn't hear a Wraith charging in from the side…until a rider astride a purple Pack Class dragon restrained it with energy leeching gear causing the beast to let out an ungodly shriek of pain, its cloak of invisibility dropping.

"Now Dragon Booster!" Called the unnamed rider as their dragon struggled to restrain the Wraith. "Apprehend them now while there's still time!"

Artha nodded in thanks but when he turned back toward the opposing dragons, he found they'd all gone! Beau cried out in anger and raced off in the direction he thought the perpetrators had gone.

Artha could feel he was getting closer to the Dragon Eye crew with every stride Beau took yet around every corner they found nothing. While they searched, Artha allowed his mind to wander to the rider and dragon duo that had helped him. Who were they? Had the Army of the Dragon crew started recruiting new members? The Wraith had freed itself from their clutches some moments ago. Artha knew it had by the awful shriek of fury he heard. He could only pray that the duo hadn't come to harm.

Beau caught sight of a tail vanishing around a corner. The Dragon Eye crew was close! Artha lost himself in the chase, so much so that he didn't hear Kitt in his ear saying she was almost at his location. Little that either of them knew, Moordryd was watching from higher up as they blindly ran right into the trap he'd laid for the Dragon Booster.

Tonight he'd be free from that gold thorn in his side and his father would finally have the Black and Gold Dragon of Legend to play with. Word Payne would surely think better of him this time? Beau ground to a halt in what appeared to be a dead end after rounding about a dozen corners, Wyldfyr arriving shortly afterward.

"Kitt what are you doing here?! It isn't safe! Go back to Lance and Parm!"

"No way! You need help Hero Boy, whether you want it or not."

Before Artha could find the time to bite back, a voice neither he nor Kitt recognised boomed out of the shadows.

"Get out of there now before it's too late! You're both in terrible danger!" Not a moment later a mine dropped into the area, close to detonating. "RUN!"

Beau and Wyldfyr turned tail and ran as fast as they could, an explosion of dangerous proportions pursuing them. Debris fell all around them, smoke coming down like a thick curtain. Artha could barely see what lay beyond the handlebars of his saddle, trusting in Beau to get them out of the haze safely. Another bang echoed down the alley, sending a shockwave that lifted Beau's back end high enough that he stumbled. Just as he cleared the smoke wall, a scream rang true.

Artha's heart pounded hard in his chest as Beau stepped carefully through the fallen poles, beams and large signs, coughing as he inhaled dust that hadn't yet settled. He weakly called out Kitt's name, hoping she hadn't gotten hurt. Wyldfyr came into view first, his flaming red scales pierced on one side as he lay curled around Kitt to protect her. His eyes were shut tightly, most likely in agony. What Artha saw next caused his heart to stop beating.

There in the hollow Wyldfyr's body made lay Kitt…metal shards sticking out of her body. Each one had hit a vital organ. With no regard for his own safety, Artha vaulted out of the saddle and gently lifted Kitt into his arms. The light had already begun to leave her green eyes, clouding over with a pale glaze. Beau nudged Wyldfyr, crooning quietly but got no response. The loyal Magma Class had already passed on. Kitt trembled in Artha's arms, reaching a hand out to him and he took it gently. Sirens loomed in the distance along with thundering footsteps that likely belonged to Parm's dragon.

"Artha." Kitt sobbed, tears rolling down her paling cheeks. "I'm sorry. I didn't think…"

"Save your strength, Kitt. You'll get through this I promise."

A shaky smile pulled at Kitt's lips briefly, stripped away by a ripple of pain coursing through her body. Reaching out her spare hand, Kitt pet Wyldfyr's cheek, feeling it growing cold. She knew he'd already gone just by the stillness of his tail.

"Sorry Stable Boy. But I'm not gonna make it this time."

"Don't say that Kitt. Help will be here soon and they'll make you better."

Kitt sighed. She wasn't sure if Artha was really that naïve or just trying to act brave. Beau moved a little closer, pressing his chin carefully against Kitt's arm so not to hurt her more. He could sense her time was almost up, looking worriedly to Artha. His blue eyes were brimming with tears but he refused to let them fall. Kitt grew limp in Artha's arms, prompting him to hold her tighter.

"You can't die Kitt. I need you."

Kitt made to protest but was cut short by Artha tenderly kissing her. The words they wanted to say went unsaid as Kitt breathed her final breath. Beau turned his head heavenward and let out a mournful cry.

By morning all of Dragon City knew about Kitt's death. The police had mounted an investigation to try and find the one responsible. Artha already knew exactly who to blame; Moordryd Payne. As the Dragon Booster he'd been required to make a statement in regards to the tragedy.

The Down City Council called for a race to be held in Kitt's name and honour. Even if the teams didn't all get along, each one gave their condolences to the Penn Racing Crew. Artha seemed to not hear their kind words, holing himself away from everyone and everything, including Beau. He couldn't stop blaming himself, thinking if he hadn't been chosen as the Dragon Booster Kitt would still be alive to tease him. Lance managed to find his brother curled up in a dark corner behind the stables.

"Artha?"

"Not now, Lance. Go bug Parm or something."

Lance wanted to say something, to ease Artha's pain, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Artha didn't even look up when he heard somebody moving in front of him. That was until Kitt's helmet was placed at his feet. Casting his bloodshot eyes over his knees, Artha saw the rider from last night. They didn't wear the uniform that belonged to the Army of the Dragon. In fact, Artha couldn't place what crew this young woman represented. Her dragon approached silently, its green eyes portraying sympathy.

Artha noticed that this Pack Class was a darker, more saturated shade of purple to others he'd seen, its forearms, lower legs and the underside of the tail were a pale lavender colour. Aside from that it looked just like every other Pack Class dragon in Dragon City. Returning his attention to the rider, Artha noticed she had smoky brown shoulder length hair and intelligent gray eyes. Slowly, Artha came out of his shell as he plucked Kitt's helmet off the floor. By the time he looked up again the unnamed rider and her dragon were already gone. Inside the helmet was a note, seemingly left by the mysterious girl.

It read; **"The Valen Crew sends its condolences, Dragon Booster. We will meet again. H." **

The night before the race in Kitt's honour was to be held, Artha went back to patrolling the streets with a heavy heart. Beau's aimless wandering led them back to the place of Kitt's death. The immediate area was taped off, pending further investigation. Due to how late it had gotten, nobody was around. Artha thought about going deeper into the alleyway to see if anymore of Kitt's stuff could be salvaged but decided against it.

Beau moved clear of the area, worried Artha might do something he'd regret later. An eerie silence hung over the duo, one they doubted would last. The Dragon Eye crew was not one to be still out of respect for a fellow rider and sure enough a bolt of dark purple dashed before Artha's eyes. Beau gave chase without being told, a low rumble in his throat as he ran.

Bounding around a corner a flash of red just ahead of the Psi Class dragon caught Artha's attention and for a fleeting moment thought it was Wyldfyr being chased. But that wasn't possible and the idea was quickly discarded. One thing he knew for certain; the Dragon Eye crew was giving a dragon some grief and they needed to be stopped.

"Beau do you think we can flank 'em? I doubt they even know we're here."

Beau snorted at the challenge, streaking past the turn he'd seen both of the other dragons take. Just as they were about to launch a surprise attack the scream of a young woman pierced the air. Beau stopped dead, reminded of Kitt's scream a few nights ago, turning his head slightly to try and get a look at Artha. The young Dragon Booster had frozen in the saddle, shedding unseen tears behind his visor.

"I'll not let another innocent person die. Come on, Beau. Let's give that creep a surprise he won't soon forget."

Beau nodded in agreement, charging around the corner with a roar of anger. As hoped, the Dragon Eye crew member was caught completely off guard and sent sprawling up the alley by a powerful Mag Blast from Beau. He didn't drop his guard until the villainous duo had left his sight. Artha gripped at his Blocking Staff, waiting to see if the dragon on their rider would come back for round two.

Several minutes went by and it looked like the Dragon Eye scum wasn't coming back. Artha let out a sigh of relief as he turned to face the dragon and rider duo that had previously been attacked. To his surprise, it was the Magma Class from the other day. Beau spoke softly to the dragon, letting it know that the danger had gone. The dragon was understandably wary of trusting Beau, its eyes warning him to stay back and tail swaying in a dangerous manner.

Looking behind the rattled creature, Artha saw a human body leaning against a wall. Beau magged Artha out of the saddle upon receiving a gentle pat on the head. Once his feet were firmly on the ground, Artha tried approaching the dragon with his hands raised in a gesture of peace.

"Take it easy fella. We're not here to hurt you or your rider."

As expected the dragon didn't believe a word Artha said and it would've moved to bite him if it hadn't been for the weak calling of a name. Artha figured it was the dragon's name. Before he could attempt contact a second time, Artha was pinned to the nearest wall with Green Draconium Trapping Gear while Beau was restrained by Subdue Gear of the same colour moments before a massive sandy brown coloured dragon came charging onto the scene.

It wasn't like the Brown Earth Class Dragons like Rumbull. This hulking beast was thinner but still had vast quantities of muscle. A bright pale brown light prevented Artha from getting a better look at the dragon and its rider before a smoke bomb clouded all view. When the smoke settled, both dragons were nowhere to be seen.

Thundering footfalls echoed in the darkness, telling that something large was headed Artha's way. To his relief it was just Phistus and Brutaris. Without hesitation, the Down City Council leader released Artha from his "prison" and escorted him out of the area. When asked if he'd seen an unusual brown dragon Phistus seemed confused. Brutaris wasn't any help either. Regardless, Artha thanked the duo and went on his way home.

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***Hides behind the unknown brown dragon* **Please don't hurt me! Getting rid of Kitt was a last minute decision for story purposes later on.

The unknown slender brown dragon is a class I made and I'll go into more detail about him later. More on the Pack Class rider and dragon to come as well.

Initially I planned to name and properly show the unnamed Magma Class's rider but felt it better to leave them unidentified for now.

At current I don't have my dragons uploaded anywhere but I hope to do so in the near future.


End file.
